Upholstering device



(No Model.)

H. B. PITNER. UPHOLSTERING DEVICE.

No. 511,649. Patented Dec. 26, 1893.

UNITED States Arnnrr @rrron.

HENRY B. PITNER, OF PRINCETON, ILLINOIS.

UPHOLSTERING DEVICE.

$PECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 511,649, dated December 26, 1893.

Application filed December 6, 1892. Serial No. 154,270. (N0 model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY B. PITNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Princeton, in the county of Bureau and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lliaking Plaited IVork in Upholstering; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying'drawings, and to the letters of refer ence marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention consists in certain mechanism to be used in making plaited work in upholstering, of any desired form; and consists substantially of the mold to receive and shape the goods being sub-divided by metallic strips into the conformations or shapes desired, blocks for forcing the fabric used into the respective sub-divisions of the mold, a guide box to be placed over the mold for the purpose of holding the hair, moss, or other filling, and to furnish a guide for the follow-board, adapted to fill the interval of such guide-box,

' and press the aforesaid filling down into the several compartments of the mold, by the pressure of a screw or lever press. As the press, referred to, may be of any of the usual forms, and as its function is no part of my invention, I do not deem it necessary to show or describe the same.

My apparatus is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the mold. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the guide-box. Fig. 3 is a plan of the follower. Fig. 4 is a perspective of two of the blocks hereinafter referred to, and Figs. 5 and G are vertical sectional Views of the apparatus showing the manner in which it is operated.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, A indicates the mold which may be of any desired form to correspond with the article to be made and is divided into compartments B, by means of metallic strips 0, set edgewise in said mold, and having sufficient openings 1) in its bottom to permit tufting.

D is a guide-box, having neither top nor bottom, and having its internal area conforming to the shape of the outer side of the mold A, but being from one-eighth to one-quarter of an inch larger at each side than the latter, and four or five inches higher.

E is the follow-board with openings F, in which the tuft buttons are placed when the work is forced to its desired shape.

G G show small wooden blocks, shaped to fit the compartments B, and force the fabric I placed in said mold-board into the bottom of said compartments.

In the above illustrations, the parts are of a certain conformation therein shown; but said parts could be shaped, in each instance, to conform to the contour of the desired work.

The operation of my invention is as follows:The fabric forming the face of the plaited work is placed, face downward, in the mold A. The blocks G are then severally placed in the intervals B and pushed to the bottom thereof by hand, thereby carrying the fabric to the lower end of the said intervals B. The guide-box D is then placed around the mold A, extending some inches above the latter, and the blocks G removed. Then the guide-box is suitably and uniformly filled with the hair, moss, or other filling .I designed to be used, and on top of this filling is placed the foundation of straw board K, and then the follow-board E. The whole, in this position, is then placed in a suitable press, and the follow-board E pressed down upon the aforesaid filling, until the latter is forced into the several intervals B. The guide-box is then removed, suitable clamps H put upon the follow-board E and over the edge of the mold A, so as to hold these and their contents together, the whole taken from the press and finished on the bench. The edges which slightly project are then tacked or sewed, in the usual way, with the clamps in position, and the tufting buttons, or retaining stitches, passed through the entire fabric, Working through the openings F in the follow-board E, and suitable openings in the base of the mold.

The advantages of my invention are, the expedition with which the work can be accomplished, and also the uniformity and completeness of the several fillings in the aforesaid intervals B.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is"

1. The combination of the mold A, provided with inter-connecting metallic strips 0, provided with an opening at each intersection and forming chambers or intervals B, guidebox D, and follower E, provided with openings F; substantially as shown, and for the purpose described.

2. The combination with the mold, of intersecting vertical strips provided with an opening at each intersection, a removable guidebox, a perforated follower, and means for holding the follower and mold upon opposite sides of the article to be operated upon, substantially as set forth. 

